Stapling mechanism



Aug. 30; 1938. A. H. SCHMIDTKE STAPLING MECHANISM Filed March 20, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 30, 1938. A. H. SCHMIDTKE STAPLING MECHANISM Filed March 20, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1938. A. H. SCHMIDTKE I I STAPLING MECHANISM Filed March 20, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 @z'werz/ow:

Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAPLING MECHANISM Albert H. Schmidtke, St. Joseph, Mich., assignor to St. Joe Machines, Inc., St. Joseph, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 20, 1937, Serial No. 132,018 12 Claims. (Cl. 1-13.6)

This invention relates to mechanisms or machines for making and driving staples, and-has reference more particularly to facilities for providing angular displacement of the staples. For

example in double stapling machines in which two or more staples are formed from. wire upon each operation and simultaneously driven into the work, the invention may be employed to drive the staples at an angle to the plane of operation of the staple forming and driving member and at an angle to one another, if desired.

As ordinarily designed such machines are adapted to position simultaneously driven staples in a straight line. In certain applications, how- 5 ever, a circular or other non-straight line form of positioning is much to be preferred. The construction of basket covers affords an example. There the staple should preferably be positioned along a circle coinciding with the center of .the

relatively thin wooden hoop to the edge of which the staples serve to fix the panel or staves which form the cover top. 1 1

Prior plural stapling machines for straight line or parallel linev stapling are not suitablefor this purpose as the staples in such cases extend more or less crosswise of the hoop and are-likely to cause objectionable splittingof the hoop mate-- rial, and heretofore in order toprovide or adapt a machine for a desired angularity of stapling a special construction of the entire stapling head assembly was required. The present invention is intended to overcome the above discussed disadvantages of previous machines and to provide further advantages to be pointed-out hereinafter.

5 The invention is also applicable to single unit stapling machines which may be required to drive staples in positions of differing angularity to the plane of operationof the staple forming and driving members.

40 One object of this invention is to provide facilities whereby ordinary stapling mechanisms may be readily adapted to drive staples at selected angles. Another object is .to provide an improved plural stapling machine which is capable of posi- 45 tioning simultaneously driven staples along the arc of acircle or in other non-straight line manner.

A further object is to make-ready provision for adjusting the angular position of the staples 50 driven by a given machine.

An additional object is to broaden theusefulness and range of application of stapling machines at presentin use in industry.

A further and more specific object is to adapt 55 prior art stapling machines of conventional double or other plural design angularly to displace the staples simultaneously'driven.

A'still furtherobject is to provide for a simple and inexpensive change in practically any stapling head which will impart to the staples prac- 5 tically any degree of twist which may be desired.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects ofthe invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with which Fig. -1 is a view in front elevation of one well known form of double stapling head modified in accordance with the present invention to effect an angular displacement between the staples 15 which it drives; I

Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the arrangement of the working parts of one of the two similar stapling units comprised by the head of Fig. 1; g 20 Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a work piece shown in the form of a wooden basket cover (also indicated in section. inthe lower portion of Fig.2) into which angularly displaced staples have been driven by the mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2; .5

Fig. 4 isa representation in inverted perspective of the staple forming and driving members of one of the two stapling units comprised by the headofFig.-1;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the staple driving 30 member only of the assemblage of Fig. 4; and.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are representations of the bottom of the stapling head of Fig. 1-as viewed from line 6-6 of thatfigure showing three progressing stages in the staple forming operation effected by the illustrated mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in which Fig. 1 represents the stapling head and mounting only of one well known form of machine to which the improvements of the present invention have been applied, reference character l0 designates a bracketsuitably carried by the machine frame (not shown) which bracket serves to support the stapling head represented in the central portion of the figure. Character [2 designates a driving rodsurrounded by. and free to slide throughthe upright portion of bracket l0 and which is reciprocated vertically by suitable mechanism (also not shown) operatively connected with its lower end. A bracket or-driving head I4 is attached to the upper end of the-rod l2 and serves to actuate the .movingparts of the stapling head.

The head structure represented is of a well known. double design comprising two similar stapling units l6 and .18. It consists of a housing the accompanying drawings, in 10 2 20 best shown by the bottom views of Figs. 6 to 8 which is rearwardly recessed to accommodate the working parts of the units. Cover plates 22 serve to close the front side of the housing and are secured thereto by screws or other suitable means. Reference character 24 designates the wire from which the staples are formed and which is fed into one side of each of the two stapling units in the represented or other equivalent manner.

The work piece 26-28 into which the machine functions to drive staples 30 in pairs (see Fig. 3) is supported beneath the stapling head in the general position indicated in Fig. 2. The particular work piece shown is a wooden basket cover in which the thin panels 26 forming the cover top are to be secured by the staples to the hoop- 28 which constitutes the cover rim. The structure for supporting the work piece has not been represented but may take the form of a platform, rotary or otherwise, which permits the work piece to be advanced between successive operations of the stapling head. i

The mechanism of each of the two stapling units l6 and H3 includes a retractible loop bar 32, a bifurcated staple forming member 34 and a staple driving member 36. In operation of the unit the loop bar is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7 by a'spring 38. Upon the upward stroke of the moving parts a length of wire 24 is projected into the space above the loop bar under the action of a feed wheel 48. This wheel is advanced by a ratchet (not shown) which is operated by a rod 42.

As the actuating head 14 moves downwardly, the staple forming and driving members 34 and 36 of each unit are advanced simultaneously through direct connections which respectively include a driving bar 44 and a latch 46. The forming member first cuts off a length of the wire 24 and upon further downward advancement functions to bend the ends of this length over the loop bar 32, thereby forming the staple.

At this point in the downward travel of the parts an inclined section 46 of the driving bar 44 moves into contact with the cooperating surface 48 of a projection carried by the loop bar in the manner shown in Fig. 2. Further downward movement forces the loop bar intothe retracted position shown in Fig. 8. The staple previously formed by having been bent thereover is now retained between the bifurcations of the forming member in a position ready to be forced into the work piece.

Slightly before the ends of the forming member have advanced into contact with the work piece, a position indicated by the dotted outline of Fig. 2, a pin 48 contacts an inclined surface 50 of the upper front cover plate 22 and acts to force the lower end of the latch bar 46 outwardly against the restraining action of a spring 52. This interrupts the direct driving connection to the forming member 34 and during the remainder of the downward stroke a compression spring 54 is brought into action firmly to hold the forming member in contact with the work piece, causing it to serve in effect as a clamping member.

The driving member 36 now comes into action and functions positively to push the staple, held between and guided by the bifurcated portions of the forming member 34, into the work piece. The completion of this driving operation marks the end of the downward stroke of the moving parts of the stapling units.

As the actuating head l4 moves upwardly upon its return stroke the driving member is withdrawn from the work piece and it together with the forming member 34 is eventually returned to the upper limit of travel. This upper movement allows the loop bar 32 again to be projected under the action of spring 38 into the space below the feed wire 24. A cycle of staple forming and driving operation has now been completed and the parts of the two stapling head units are again ready to advance downwardly to form and drive another pair of staples.

The present invention concerns itself with modifications in. stapling machines typified by the above illustrative structure, which modifications cause the staples to emerge from the machine units at practically any desired degree of angular displacement or twist. Plural machines altered in accordance with the teachings of the present invention are in consequence rendered capable of driving staples along the arc of a circle or in other predetermined angular relation. Single unit machines are enabled to alter the angular position of the staples which they drive.

These advantageous results are effected by changing the design of only two partsin each of the stapling units to which the invention is to be applied, namely the forming member 34 and thedriving member 36. All other parts of the unit mechanism may remain unchanged. 3

The nature of the contemplated changes is best indicated by Figs. 2, 4 and 5. Considering first the forming member 34 which'is shown inverted in Fig. 4, the inner surfaces of the bifurcated portions of this member are provided with staple leg guide grooves 58 and 66 which are oppositely displaced in the direction of thickness of the member. The ends of the member bifur cations likewise are provided with cooperating notches 62 and 64 which are similarly displaced. These notches serve to guide the staple wire into the'grooves 58 and 60 at the time when the wire is bent by the forming member over the loop bar.

As in prior constructions the grooves 58 and 60 serve to guide the legs of the completely formed staple while the driving member 36 is advancing to force the staple from between the forming member bifurcations and into the work piece. As is apparent from the showings of Figs. 4 and 5, the driving member 36 is provided with side ribs 66 and 68 which are displaced in the same manner as are the guide grooves 58 and 60 of the bifurcated forming member into which these ribs slidably fit.

The result of these design modifications is best shown by Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive. During the upward stroke of the stapling unit parts depicted by Fig. 6 the wire 24 is fed into each of the units in the usual manner. At the point in the downward stroke of the parts at which the wire is cut off by the forming member 34 and immediately thereafter the descending beveled faces respectively at the far side of. the groove 62 and at the near side of the groove 64, as viewed in Fig. 4 impart an angular displacement to the cut off length 30' somewhat as shown in Fig.- '7, at which time the extremities of said portion 30 are swung in opposite directions respectively against the beveled faces at the near side of the groove 62 and at the far side of the groove 64 asviewed in Fig. 4 and slide outwardly across these respective faces, which at the same time are descending, with the result that as these wire ends slide outwardly on these descending faces and as the center of the wire length 30 engages the loop bar 32 and is held thereby against descending, the wire ends are sprung slightly downwardly driven lie along the arc of a circle 10. If the stapling machine were intended to secure together the parts of the basket cover 2628 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this circle should preferably coincide with the center of the rim hoop 28 of the cover in order to insure that all of the staple legs will be equally spaced from the sides of the hoop material.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that practically any conventional plural stapling machine may be adapted to'drive the staples in angularly displaced relation merely by substituting for the forming and driving members of each unit a former and a driver having grooves and ribs displacedly located in the manner taught by the present invention. It will also be evident that by carrying in stock forming and driving members in which the groove and rib displacements are of graduately different magnitudes a given machine may be adapted. to provide various degrees of staple driving displacement. The invention is therefore one of high utility and broad application.

Although the invention has been shown and described in connection with a double head type of stapler, it will be apparent that it may also be applied to 'single unit stapling machines with equal facility to impart twist to the driven staples. From the foregoing description of the individual stapling units comprised by the double machine represented in the drawings, it will be seen that the expedient of the present invention makes this possible in a very practicaland economical way.

Since certain changes may be made in the construction and different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter pre viously presented shall be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mechanism for forming and driving staples comprising means for feeding wire there into, a loop bar retractably positioned between the fed wire and the work piece into which staples are to be driven, a bifurcated forming member having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is initially positioned, said member being adapted when advanced to cut off a length of the wire and having wireengaging portions whereby the cut off length of wire is positioned in angularly displaced relation to said plane and then bent over the loop bar in said displaced position, and a driver adapted to urge the staple thus formed into the work piece in the said position of angular displacement.

2. In a mechanism for forming and driving staples, the combination of an elongated housing, means for feeding wire thereinto in a transverse direction, a loop bar retractably positioned in an open end of the housing between said wire and the work piece into which staples are to be driven, a bifurcated staple forming member slidably mounted in the housing and having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is initially positioned, said member having wire-engaging portions adapted to out off a length of the wire and to bend it over the loop bar ina position-angularly displaced from said plane and'a driving member slidably mounted in the trailingportion of-the forming member and adapted whenadvanced to urge the staple thus formed into the work piece in the said position of angular displacement.

3. A staple forming and drivingm'achine having a head mechanism comprised :of a stapling unit which includes means for feeding wire thereinto, a loop bar retractably positioned adjacent the fed wire, a'bifurcated staple forming member having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is initially positioned, saidmember being adapted when advanced to cut off a length of the wire and having wireengaging portionswhereby the cut off length of wire is shifted at an'angle to said plane and then bent in said shifted position over the loop bar, and a driver for urging the staple thus formed into a work piece in the saidposition of angular shift.

4. ma multi-unit mechanism'for forming and simultaneously driving a plurality of staples in positions of relative angular displacement, the combination of a stapling unit having means for feeding wire thereinto, a loop bar retractably positioned between the fed wire and the work piece into'which staples are to be driven, a bifurcated forming member adapted when :advanced to 'cut off a length of the wire-and having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is initially positioned, said member having wire-engaging'portions whereby the cut off length of wire is positionedrin angularly-displaced' relation to said plane and then bent over the loop bar in said. "displaced position, and a driver for urging into the work piece the staple thus formed in its said position of "angular displacement. r

5. In a mechanism for forming and simultaneously driving a plurality ofstaples, into a work piece in positions of relative angular displacement, the combination of. a plurality of. stapling units each of which comprises means for feeding wire thereinto, a loop bar retractably positioned between the fed wire and the work piece, a bifurcated forming member adapted when advanced to cut off a length of the wire and having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is initially positioned, said member having wire-engaging portions whereby the cut off length of wire is positioned in angularly displaced relation to said plane and then bent over the loop bar in said displaced position, and a driver for urging into the work piece the staple thus formed in its said position of angular displacement.

6. In a staple forming and driving mechanism, comprising means for feeding wire thereinto, a retractable loop bar, a bifurcated forming member for cutting off a length of said wire and bending the ends thereof over the loop bar thereby to form the staple, said member having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is initially positioned and a driver slidably mounted between the trailing portions of the forming member bifurcations for urging the staple into a work piece, the combination of means for positioning the staple in angularly displaced relation to said plane comprising staple leg guide grooves in the inside surfaces of the forming member bifurcations oppositely displaced from said plane and correspondingly displaced ribs on the cooperating outer surfaces of the driver engaged in said grooves.

- '7. In a staple forming and driving mechanism comprising means for feeding wire thereinto, a retractable loop bar, a bifurcated forming member for cutting oif said wire and bending the ends of the cut length over the loop bar thereby to form the staple said member having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is'initially positioned, and a driver for urging the staple into a work piece, the combination of means for positioning the staple in angularly displaced relation to said plane comprising a provision on the inside surfaces of the forming member bifurcations of laterally extending stapleleg .guide grooves which are oppositely displaced from said plane.

8. In a staple forming and driving mechanism comprising means for feeding wire thereinto, a retractable loop bar, a bifurcated forming member for cutting off said wire and bending the ends of the cut length over the loop bar thereby to form the staple said member having the bifurcations thereof operable in the plane in which the fed wire is initially positioned, and a driver for urging the staple into a work piece, the combination of means for positioning the staple in angularly displaced relation to said plane comprising a provision on the inside surfaces of the forming member bifurcations of laterally extending staple-leg guide grooves which are oppositely displaced from said plane, and a provision on the ends of the forming member bifurcations of notches arranged to guide the staple wire into said grooves as it is being bent over the loop bar.

9. For use in a machine adapted to form staples from wire and to drive them into a work piece in a position angularly displaced from the plane of operation of the forming and driving parts, a bifurcated staple forming member having on the opposing inner surfaces of. its bifurcations laterally extending staple-leg guide grooves which are oppositely displaced in the direction of member thickness.

10. For use in a, machine adapted to form staples from wire and to drive them into a work piece in a position angularly displaced from the plane of operation of the forming and driving parts, a bifurcated staple forming member having on the opposing inner surfaces of its bifurcations laterally extending staple-leg guide grooves which are oppositely displaced in the direction of member thickness and also having on the ends of the bifurcated portions correspondingly displaced notches which serve to guide the staple wire into said grooves during the staple forming operation.

11. For use in a machine adapted to form staples from wire and to drive them into a work piece in a position angularly displaced from the plane of operation of the forming and driving parts, a staple driving member having on two of. its opposite outer surfaces laterally extending ribs which are oppositely displaced in the direction of member thickness.

12. In a staple forming and driving device, the combination of a pair of staple forming parts, an abutment at opposite sides of which said parts are respectively operable to bend a length of wire in staple form against and along the opposite sides of said abutment, said abutment and staple forming parts being relatively movable to release the staple formed wire from said abutment, a wire feed operable to advance said length of wire to an initial position in the plane of operation of said staple forming parts between the said parts and said abutment, a driver which ejects the staple formed wire from between said pair of staple forming parts after the forming operation and release of the staple formed wire from said abutment, and means operable after the wire feeding operation to displace the fed wire at an angle to the aforesaid plane prior to the bending thereof against and along the opposite sides of said abutment.

ALBERT H. SCHMIDTKE. 

